In many building structures, electrical conduit and mechanical piping systems for carrying wires and cables, such as electrical cables and communication wires, fluids, such as hot and cold water, steam, oil, compressed air and the like are suspended from the ceiling or from beams in the structure. The conduit or piping is usually maintained by conduit trapeze supports and hangers which are suspended from the ceiling by rods or threaded bolts. The trapeze supports and hangers generally are spaced about 8 to 12 feet apart depending on the material from which the conduit and piping is made, and the structural demands on the conduit or piping with regard to the cable requirements, such as the number of cables and their requisite gauge, and the fluid properties, such as density, pressure and temperature of the fluid in the pipe.
It follows from this suspended arrangement that the electrical and mechanical systems have a potential to oscillate in the longitudinal and transverse direction. It is desired that these systems be able to oscillate slightly to prevent damage to the ceiling or beam structure supporting the systems and to the system itself. For example, if the systems were rigorously braced against oscillation, the connection joints between each segment of conduit and piping and the trapeze and hanger assemblies could potentially be damaged producing undesirable and possible undetectable results. However, if the systems are not braced against most of the potential to oscillate to considerably dissipate the energy causing the oscillation, the system can possibly oscillate to a destructive frequency and even to the resonant frequency of the structure supporting the system and of the system itself, thereby, causing damage to the structure and the system. For this purpose, the systems are braced against unintentional external forces causing the system to oscillate; for example, the external forces may be caused by earthquakes, building sway and machinery. To address the safety demands, state legislation have set safety requirements under which suspended systems including bracing assemblies must meet.
It is found in practice that these systems are suspended from the ceiling or beam structure by a rod. At the free end of each rod is fastened the trapeze support or the hanger, such as a clevis hanger or J-hanger from which the conduit and piping is carried. As mentioned, the trapeze supports and hangers are maintained along their system at predetermined distances between 8 to 12 feet apart.
It is further found in practice that a brace is employed to prevent oscillation. The brace extends from the trapeze or the hanger at an angle upward to the overhead structure or ceiling. The brace includes a bracket to attach to the ceiling and a connector to attach to the suspended system wherein the two may be connected integrally with each other or by a channel or cable extending therebetween. The connector is provided with a hole through which the rod suspending the system must extend. It is obvious then that the trapeze or the hanger would at least have to be unsupported for a period to insert the rod through the hole of the connector. Commonly the trapeze would have to be disassembled or the hanger would have to be removed in order to extend the rod through a hole in the connecter.
This raises a problem when attaching the connector to an already installed suspended system. Here, the installer is required to disassemble each trapeze support and remove each hanger at the location where the brace is being installed. This requires unnecessary costs and increased safety risks to the installer. The installer must work at the brace installation location with the system unsupported or alternatively provide additional support either from the ceiling or from the ground to support the system when it is detached from the rod and support. Further, the installer is restricted in the number of braces which can be affixed to the system at one time because the entire system cannot be disconnected from the overhead structure. This additional labor increases installation time and cost. Thus, the post system installation bracing can become very dangerous and labor intensive resulting in an avoidable expensive installation.
Other prior connectors are either secured directly to the mechanical piping or electrical conduit member or welded directly to the rod suspending the system. Attaching the connector directly to the piping or conduit is undesirable because it can cause damage to the system by providing too much bracing along the piping or conduit. Additionally, this practice positions bracing at areas other than the hanger area which has already overhead structure area dedicated to suspend support members, and these other locations may not have overhead structure members to suspend these braces. Welding the connector also is an undesirable connector because is it labor intensive and unsafe.
Accordingly, it is the primary aim of this invention to provide a connecter which can be attached to the system without disassembling or removing the trapeze or hanger. A further object is to provide a connector which is safer and more efficient to install.
A resulting object is to provide a connector which reduces the labor and associated costs.
Finally, a related object is to provide a uniform connector which is convenient to use.